Making the Grade?

One year after the District of Columbia came under fire for inadequate efforts to fight HIV and officials subsequently pledged to overhaul the district's AIDS programs, the D.C. Appleseed Center for Law and Justice in March issued a report card on the progress made during the past 12 months. The district-where about one in every 20 residents is HIV-positive, 10 times the national prevalence rate-was given mixed grades, with particularly poor marks for condom distribution and substance abuse treatment. D.C.'s 2006 AIDS Report Card ''Grants Management: B ''Rapid HIV Antibody Testing: B ''Leadership: B- ''Needle-Exchange Services: B- ''Public School Programs: B- ''Routine HIV Antibody Testing: C ''Substance Abuse Treatment: D+ ''Condom Distribution: D ''HIV Data: Incomplete ''Surveillance Staffing: Incomplete